Marine distress messenger-ball



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. B. SMITH.

MARINE DISTRESS MESSENGER BALL.

No. 395,187. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

Witness e8 Jz'za 7 n e y N. PETERQ. Fholo-Lilhogrnpher, Wnhinglon. u. c.

E W. B. SMITH. MARINE DISTRESS MESSENGER BALL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

(No Model.)

No. 395,187. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM B. SMITH, OF LAXYTEY, FLORIDA.

MARINE DISTRESS MESSENGER-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,187, dated. December 25, 1888. Application filed June 24, 1886. Serial No. 206,090. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Law tey, county of Bradford, State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvei'nents in Marine Distress Messenger- Balls; an d I do hereby declare that the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description. of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

From personal experience on both salt and fresh water during storms, night and day, and after considerable study for a number of years of wrecks and wreck ordnance, as described in nautical papers and United States LifeSaving reports, and tides, cross-currents, winds, &c., I find that a great majority of wrecks along our coasts occur during the night and dense fogs, with the wind blowing to or quartering on shore. In many instances it is impossible for life-saving patrols or other persons on the shore to see the wreck or get a line from the mortar to it without the waste of much valuable time.

The object of my invention is to overcome these two difliculties as far as possible and to furnish a reliable signal and a s\\"i'l't-traveling messenger, that as it floats and rolls along will travel. on the water, land, or ice, or in the air. Bounding from wave to wave, as a general plan, it is designed to be used in any emergency where a vessel desires to communicate with the shore or to attract the attention of passing vessels, and is so far distant out of sight that soundsignals cannot be seen or heard, or by reason of darkness or fog the yes" sel cannot be distinguished. In form it is spherical, or as near thereto as the materials used in its construction will allow. It is made of any size desired. The outside surface should be made just as smooth as possible. It is tobe constructed of cork, metal, or any material adapted for the purpose, or of any desired combination of said materials. The line is carried inside the messenger or in a receptacle attached to the outside of it, and in coil, ball, or on a reel, or in any other way practicable. The line thus carried does away with the great friction and weight, as would be the case if the line were uneoiled from the Vessel and dragged through the waves and water, as now commonly used. The outside attachment of line also prevents fouling in freezing weather. The sight-signal attached to it is to be an incandescent electric light, luminous paint, or any other light found suitable, and be carried in the walls or periphery or outside the messengers. The sound-signals or alarmbells are to be actuated automatically or by electricity, the battery to be carried inside the messenger, and the alarm-bells externally or in the walls or peripheryof the messenger; or springs may be used for the purpose. The scent-signals are to be odor-receptacles to 0011- tain some pungent and penetrating odor, carried either in the walls or periphery, or outside the messenger. The message and letter receptacles are made water and air tight. They are to contain a supply of oiled paper and indelible pencils, thin sheets of soft copper or brass, with a sharp-pointed instrument for forming letters; the message and receptacles to be carried inside the messengers. In carrying a message alone, in an emergency where swift work is desired, a messenger will be used and simply carry the message written on the copper or brass sheets of writing material, the edges bound so that they will not cut, and slipped into a close-fitting outside pocket and laced up snug and smooth. It will then present the appearance of an immense foot-ball say from three to ten feet in diameteras light it is possible to make it and have it strong, and painted anycolor suitable for being seen from a long distance. I11 this case the object in leaving off the other signals and attachments is to dispense with all extra weight, the sight, sound, and scent signals especially not being needed in day-time.

Having now stated very fully, in a general way, the object and nature of my invention, I will proceed to describe it more in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents in a central sectional View one of the messengers in the simplest form of construction. Fig. 2 is a central sectional view of a messenger provided with aircompartments. Fig. 3 is a central section showing various ways of attaching a ball, reel, or coil of cord or line in, to, or upon the mes trated in Fig. 3.

senger. The openings and their covers, by which access is gained to the inside of the ball, do not appear in this figure, nor the valves by which the ball when made of flex-t ble material is inflated. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section of a messenger provided with interior and removable receptacle for papers, alarm-light, and scent-signals; Fig. 5, details of line-cartridge, &c. Fig. 0 is a detail in section showing one mode of applying the valve to the ball.

In the views, A denotes a ball or sphere of any desired size and made of any desired materials, as above stated. In its surface or periphery it has valved openings b, one or more, as may be desired, through which, by any suitable means, when desired, air may be forced in. \Vhere there is more than one compartment in the messenger, there may be a valved opening from the periphery into each compartment, as shown in Fig. 2. In applying the valve I propose to use a screw-cap spring or any well-known and ordinary means for this purpose. There may be also one or more paper or parcel receptacles, c, on the inside of the periphery, access to which may be had by removing the screw-cap c of said receptacle, and when this is done the papers or parcel can be placed in said receptacle,which can then be securely closed up water-tight.

-The interior of the messen er can be divided up into as many compartments as are desired by means of internal partitions, a.

This messenger-ball may be made with only a single shell or wall, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or, as in Fig. 4, may have a double case or walls, a a which may be filled with cork, 00, or not, as desired, and through this wall, by means of a hinged lid, (0, access can be had to the upper central interior compartment, D, designed for holding the water-tight receptacles E. This lid can be secured fast by a lock or catch, and each compartment D may in like manner be reached through its own lid, which is made and applied in like manner to the ball as those shown.

The several interior compartments of the messenger are to be air -tight. In the periphery between the two walls is a small receptacle, F,which is designed to hold any substance capable of giving out a pungent odor. In another compartment, G, an alarm-bell can be placed, which will be rung bythe motion of the messenger, or a small electric battery or springs may be provided for that purpose. The compartment II is for an incandescent light. The cord or line cartridge I is placed in a suitable compartment, K, and is held in by a cap, a, similar to that over the package or paper receptacle, except that it has an opening, 7.2, through which the cord or line can pass out; or this cartridge I can be secured upon or connected to the outside of the periphery of the messenger in various ways, as is illus- Any one of the external cartridges can be made air-tight receptacles for papers, 850., by merely adding a screw-cap to its aperture or in any other merely mechanical way. Any of the several inside and outside receptacles for cord, papers, &c., can be used when desired to carry oiled paper, indelible pencils, thin sheets of copper or brass writing material, and stylus. These devices will be useful at special times for recording messages or any memoranda. By this outside attachment of the line it will be constantly submerged, and so prevented from fouling or freezing in cold weather. In some instances it may be advisable to have handles L, as in Fig. 4, attached to the ball by cord, wire, or otherwise, by which to lift it in throwing it into or removing it from the water.

The details of the use of this device will be readily understood from the foregoing de-' scription.

\Vhen a vessel is in distress and cannot otherwise communicate with the shore or passing vessel, one or more of these messengers may be put into use. A buoyant ball, painted in any vivid color or covered with luminous paint and provided with a line, is flung overboard. The free end of the line is attached to the vessel, and as soon as the wind strikes the messenger it will be driven bounding along over the waves, and as it is moved along the line in the receptacle or cartridge readily pays out and does not in the least retard the progress or free movement of the ball. \Vhen it reaches the land, the cord or line will afford means of getting aid from the shore; or at other times the messenger may be laden with papers in the air-tight compartments, and also provided with a line for use, generally as above described or in some instances the line may be dispensed with, or the line, document-receptacle, odor-signal, alarm-bell, and incandescent electric light may all be used at once, or any one of them alone, or any two or three of them. I design to use them as the occasion may seem to render necessary.

The wind will readily drive the messenger over ice of any ordinary degree of smoothness or along the shore or over level ground. \Vhere the messengeris made of metal, its interior air-tight compartments will give it sufficient buoyancy.

lVhile I have now shown and described the nature and construction of my invention, it is evident that there may be a large variety of changes made in the detail of construction, which will not in any manner depart from the essential idea and invention now disclosed.

I am aware that heretofore marine safes or buoys have been made of various materials and provided with inside compartments to contain food or other articles, and that such buoys have also been provided with signals of various kinds, such as flags, bells, and lights.

In some detail of construction and in some detail in use this device has points of resemblance with that shown in my application filed May 5, 1888, Serial No. 273,263.

Having now described my invention, what 1 consider new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rigid smooth air and water tight marine distress messenger-ball provided with compartments having suitable openings thereinto and water-tight covers therefor and a receptacle for a line or cord, whereby the ball can be connected to the vessel and yet allowed free movement over the water as the line pays out.

2. A marine messenger-ball in which are comprised a rigid casing, an ineased line in the periphery or walls, external receptacles for lights, alarm-bells, and scent and internal water-tight message-receptacles, all substantially as described.

In testimony wh ereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub scribin witnesses.

XV. B. SMITH. Vitnesses:

H. H. STONAKER, T. LYNK. 

